Name: Pat Blashe

Brief personal introduction:

I am a teacher of students who have mild to severe Cognitive Disabilities. I have been teaching for 13 years at Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District and taught 3rd grade CD at Stevens Point. I went back to school at age 37 and have one son, Brandon, who is married to Sarah. They have 2 children, Wyatt, age 11 ½ and Sydney, age 6 ½ who I adore. We are a racing family. My grandson has been racing Karts since before kindergarten. Sydney is more interested in socializing at this time.
Overview of content/topic level of unit plan:
I have been teaching high school level for the last 3 years, grades 9-12 or until they age out at 21. My students’ academic abilities range from toddler through mid-elementary levels. As many of my students will be seniors this fall, I want to help them to understand in more realistic terms which jobs will offer them higher levels of job satisfaction and retention.
My unit will focus on career decisions to assist students with the transition from high school to the work force. Students will complete an interest profile to learn more about their own personalities, likes & dislikes. They will decide what about a job will offer them higher levels of job satisfaction. They will discuss how job satisfaction positively or adversely affects job retention.
Students will discuss and develop an understanding of 11 job characteristics and how important each of these is to them. They will rank these characteristics based on importance prior to the unit and again after they have studied 3 jobs. Students will then research 3 jobs they are interested in. Job data will be entered into a format that will allow them to analyze each job to see which will offer them more job satisfaction.
They will participate in a job shadow, observation, or interview someone for at least one job field they chose. Students will self-reflect on which of the 3 jobs might be the best choice for them after graduation. They will compare the results to help them develop a rubric which they can use when looking for jobs after graduation.
Characteristics considered are:
  • Required education for job
  • Specific job skills required (fork lift operator’s license, CDL license, etc.)
  • Job location
  • Transportation opportunities to and from job
  • Travel time to and from work
  • Job hours
  • Pay rate
  • Proper Dress (buy dress clothes, uniforms, etc.)
  • Advancement opportunities
  • Job environment (outdoors vs. indoors, activity vs. sitting, etc.)
  • Social interaction opportunities or limitations (get in trouble if visit with coworkers?)
I am worried that this project, like many other units, will not help my students be realistic in their job choices. I truly hope they can develop an understanding about what will make them happy when working so they will make better choices and be able to keep their jobs.

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Link to my unit plan file:


Other Participant's unit plans reviewed:

Lon Ebel
Lynette Anderson
Cathy Patridge

Other resources and ideas to save or share with others:

Great idea when you want to give value to words
http://www.wordle.net/

Went on Globster EDU, but many of us lost our poster when trying to save and publish them. Now I am a member, so should be able to use it more effectively.

this is a very easy way to make a simple slide show with photos, captions, music - "If I could do it, anyone can!"
http://www.photoshow.com/home/start

Photo essay:

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/pu4nu6Sf